Chicken feeder



J 1 6 w. A. JOHNSON ET AL 3,

CHICKEN FEEDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1, 1959 W ll /am A. Johnson 7 Joe R. Short INVENTORS 9 BY Wm Jan. 2, 1962 w. A. JOHNSON ET AL 3,015,307

CHICKEN FEEDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 1, 1959 William A J Johnson Joe 5. Short I N VENTORS WWW EM United States Patent 3,015,307 CHICKEN FEEDER William A. Johnson, 607 5th St. NE, and Joe R. Short, 705 Guntersville Road, bothof Arab, Ala. FiledMay 1, 1959, SerJNo. 810,311 3 Claims. (Cl. 119-61) This invention relates generally to feeding equipment and more particularly to a novel means for feeding chickens.

Baby chicks have their beaks cut-E severely or burned off when they are about one day old. Accordingly, since the severed beak is tender, the baby chick finds it difiicult to peek at the feed. At the present, feed for the first few days isplaced .on paper around the brooder, or placed in a box lid with a fiat bottom. A baby chick is unable to eat the chicken feed unless it is in a pile. Accordingly, the chicken grower must pass by the brooder several times an hour in order to pile the chicken feed in heaps so that the baby chicks will eat. Of course, this presents an undesirable situation. It would 'be desirable if means were developed for properly establishing heaps of chicken feed accessible to the baby chicks. Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide novel chicken feeding means which enable baby chicks to obtain the chicken feed.

"It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a novel chicken feeder construction which includes a corrugated base portion defining a plurality of adjacent V- shaped troughs for receiving discrete quantities of chicken feed and for presenting a quantity having a relatively large depth and large exposed top surface area.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel chicken feeder construction including transverse plates s'lidably received on the corrugated base portions for supporting and rigidifying the structure. The transverse plates include a continuous series of V-shaped openings for receiving the V-shaped troughs defined in the base portion. The transverse plates support hinged lock tabs supported adjacent some of the V-shaped openings and the tabs are received within aligned notches formed in the crest of the base portion.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved chicken feeder means which is highly efficient for its intended purpose but which is reliable, inexpensive to manufacture, and durable.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the chicken feeder comprising this invention and illustrates the base portion incorporating transverse plates;

FIGURE 2 is another perspective view of the chicken feeder illustrating the base portion, transverse plates, incorporating wire guard;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a part of the corrugated base portion receiving chicken feed in the defined V-shaped troughs;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of one of the transverse plates adapted to cooperate with the corrugated base portion and illustrates the continuous series of openings and the hinged locked tabs;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view, partially in section, illustrating the locked cooperation between the transverse plates and the base portion;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view, partially in section, illustrating the sliding cooperaice tionbetween the transverse plates and the base portion; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view with parts in section of a modified form-of the invention.

With continuing reference to the drawings, numeral 10 generally represents the chicken feeder comprising this invention and initially includes an accordion plaited or corrugated base, plate or panel portion 12 defining V- shaped troughs 14. The base portion 12 may be constructed of sheet metal, paper, plastic, -or any material capable of being easily formed in the corrugated manner illustrated and capable of sustaining the stresses to which it may be subjected. It is further contemplated that the base portion 12 be approximately one foot by one and one-half foot in area. The V-shaped troughs 14 lie parallel and adjacent to one another. The junctions between the l-shaped troughs '14 define base portion crests or apices 16. The base portion 12 terminates in integral upstanding border members or side walls 18 and 29.

Particularly referring to FIGURES S and 6, it will be noted that notches as 22 are defined in the crests 16. The notches include downwardly extending conver ing surfaces 24 and 26 which intersect in a horizontal line 28. The notches 22 are aligned on the various crests and define transverse rows.

Transverse plates generally designated as 30, 32 and 34 are adapted to be slidably received on the corrugated base portion 12. Each of the transverse plates, as particularly illustrated in FIGURE 4 includes a 'continuous series of V-shaped openings generally referred to as 36, said openings defining a zigzag slot. The outlineof the corrugated base portion 12 is slidably receivable through the continuous opening or slot 36 in each of the transverse plates 30, 32 and 34. Every alternate V-shaped opening includes ahinged lock tab 38 which is terminally hinged to the plates 30, 32 and 34. The tab 38 is preferably formed integral with the transverse plate and is hinged relative thereto by bending the tab after cutting it so as to allow a single side to remain incontact with the transverse plate. A horizontal portion t!) is defined beneath the cut and hinged tabs 38. The slots 36 terminate in upwardly extending, vertical end portions 42 and 44 which are adapted to receive the upstanding border members or side walls 18 and 20.

The corrugated base portion 12 is received through the plates 30, 32 and 34 as the trough of the base portion 12 passes through the opening 36 in the transverse plate. In order to allow the base portion 12 to pass therethrough, the tab 38 hinged to the transverse plate at 46 is swung openly so that the crest 16 of the base portion passes through the apex 48 of one of the series of V-shaped openings. The horizontal portion 40 defined in a transverse plate is aligned with the lines 28 formed at the intersection of the surfaces 24 and 26 in the base portion. With the transverse plates properly aligned with the rows of aligned notches, the tab 38 is pivoted from its position illustrated in FIGURE 6 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 5. It will be apparent that the transverse plate will be unable to slide relative to the base portion 12 inasmuch as the lock tab 38 will immediately abut either of the surfaces 24 or 26 upon any relative movement therebetween. Accordingly, it will be seen that each of the transverse plates 30, 32 and 34, may be retained as desired on the base portion 12. The transverse plates extend beneath the lower portions of the base portion as at 50 so that the plates act as supporting legs in conjunction with their rigidifying function.

With particular reference to FIGURE 2, a wire guard 52 is illustrated and enables baby chicks to peck at the chicken feed within the V-shaped trough 14 and prevents scratching. However, the chicken feeder functions advantageously with or without the wire guard 52. It is thought that the operation and utilization of the invention should be apparent. Since it is the intention of this invention to provide a piled or heaped quantity of chicken feed for the baby chick, while providing an extensive exposed top surface area from which the chick may obtain the chicken feed, it is thought that it will be understood that the chicken feed is deposited within the V- shaped trough as illustrated in FIGURE 3 and the baby chicks are permitted to peck at the chicken feed 54 Without abutting or hurting the tender severed beak.

With particular reference to FIGURE 7, a modified form of the invention is illustrated and includes integrally formed upstanding end border members 60 and 62. The inclusion of the end border members 60 and 62 allows for the deletion of the transverse plates 30, 32 and 34 of FIGURE 1, if desired. Of course the wire guards 52 may be utilized in conjunction with the embodiments of FIGURE 7 if this be considered necessary.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that a chicken feeder construction has been described which may be formed of lightweight material so as to make the device substantially reliable. Also, it will be appreciated that the device is inexpensive to manufacture and since no moving parts are included, the device is durable. The chicken grower may save considerable time inasmuch as there Will no longer be a need for heaping the quantities of chicken feed; that is, a desirable heap will always be established for the baby chick to enable the baby chick to eat despite the tenderness of the severed beak.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1'. A chick feeder comprising a horizontal, accordion plaited panel defining a series of integral, parallel, generally V-shaped feed troughs, vertical horizontally elon- 4' gated supporting plates mounted transversely on said panel, said supporting plates having therein longitudinal zigzag slots slidably receiving the troughs, and means for securing said plates in position on the troughs, said panel having notches in certain of the apex portions thereof, said means including bendable tabs integral with the plates and engageable in the notches.

2. A chick feeder comprising a horizontal, accordion plaited panel defining a series of integral, parallel, generally V-shaped feed troughs having transverse notches in the top portions thereof, vertical horizontally elongated supporting plates mounted transversely on said panel, said supporting plates having therein longitudinal zigzag slots slidably receiving the troughs, and integral tabs on the plate bendable into the slots and engageable in the notches for securing said plates in position on the troughs, said panel including vertical side walls paralleling the troughs, said slots terminating in upwardly extend ing, vertical end portions receiving said side Walls.

3. A chick feeder comprising a horizontal, accordion plaited panel defining a series of integral, parallel, generally V-shaped feed troughs, vertical horizontally elongated supporting plates mounted transversely on said panel, said supporting plates having therein longitudinal zigzag slots slidably receiving the troughs, and means for securing said plates in position on the troughs, said panel having notches in certain of the apex portions thereof, said means including bendable tabs integral with the plates and engageable in the notches, said panel including vertical side walls paralleling the troughs, said slots terminating in upwardly extending, vertical end portions receiving said side walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 20,693 Kisselle Apr. 12, 1938 1,859,582 Crabtree May 24, 1932 2,032,978 Ferguson Mar. 3, 1936 2,280,537 Murphy Apr. 21, 1942 2,800,938 McLauchlan July 30, 1957 

